Vertical pumping unit

ABSTRACT

A vertical pump is provided comprising a pump apparatus having drive means interconnected by an elongated bearing tube in which the drive shaft is located. The drive shaft is journaled by a pair of bearings arranged at the upper and lower nodal points of vibration respectively.

United States Patent Pochyly 1 Apr. 30, 1974 VERTICAL PUMPING UNIT 2,625,110 1/1953 Haentjens 417/424 2,626,086 1/1953 Forrest 417/424 X [75] Inventor- P olomouc 2,896,544 7/1959 'Ogles... 415/501 x czcchoslovakla 3,051,088 8/1962 13211031.... 417/424 3 3,150,598 9/1964 Og1es.... 415/199 X [73] Asslgnee' :tg gggrg 3,037,573 6/1962 Larsen 308/184 2,166,404 7/1939 Hait 308/26 [22] Filed: May 4, 1972 [211 App] No; 250,434 Primary ExaminerWilliam L. Freeh v Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Murray Schaffer 52 us. c1. 417/360, 417/424 [51] Int. Cl F04b 35/04 ABSTRACT [58] Flew of Search 2 A vertical pump is provided comprising a pump apparatus having drive means interconnected by an elongated bearing tube in which the drive shaft is located. [56] References Cited The drive shaft is journaled by a pair of bearings ar- UNITED STATES PATENTS ranged at the upper and lower nodal points of vibra- 2,843,048 7/1958 Tapp 417/424 X tion respectively. 2,080,683 5/1937 Yost 415/501 X 3,158,295 11/1964 McConaghy 415/199 X 5 Claims, 1 Drawing Figure VERTICAL PUlVlPING UNIT BACKGROUND OF INVENTION The present invention relates to vertical pumping apparatus.

Vertical pumps employed to pump liquids from wells or deep drilled bore holes etc., comprise a motor and a pump sunk into the ground, connected by a long drive shaft. Generally, the shaft is mounted in a bearing tube which also serves as the discharge conduit of the liquid. The shaft is supported by a plurality of bearings arranged serially along the length of the shaft. Notwithstanding the large number of bearings, the conventional pumps exhibit a great deal of instability and unbalance caused by the exertion of torsional load on the drive shaft. Excessive vibration also occurs, which results in excessive wear of the bearings and in extreme cases in damage to the entire pumping unit.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a vertical pump overcoming the diadvantage of the present invention.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a vertical pump having improved means for mounting and journaling the drive shaft.

It is the object of the present invention to provide an improved and simplified vertical pump, in which vibration and torsional forces are substantially, if not entirely eliminated.

These objects, other objects and advantages will'be seen from the following disclosure of the present invention.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION According to the present invention, a vertical pump is provided comprising a pump apparatus having drive means interconnected by an elongated bearing tube in which the drive shaft is located. The drive shaft is journaled by a pair of bearings arranged at-the upper and lower nodal points of vibration respectively. Preferably, the nodal points are selected so that they satisfy the principle wherein a 0z O, in which: d and 0:, equal the absolute value of the angle of roll of the influence line of deflection on one or the other end of the shaft respectively.

Preferably, the nodal points are located only below the coupling with the driving motor and substantially at the point where the shaft is mounted to the pump apparatus itself.

The shaft may also extend through the pump apparatus and be journaled at its lower terminus in a third bearing.

Full details of the present invention follow herein and are seen in the accompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING In the accompanying drawing the FIGURE is a vertical section schematically illustrating the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION A'vertical pump of generally conventional design is schematically seen in the FIGURE. It comprises a power unit 2 such as a rotary electrical motor or internal combustion engine mounted Within a flaring cap or housing 4 which is fastened, bolted or otherwise secured to the floor 6 of the pumping station. A vertically elongated bearing pipe 8, serving as the pump discharge tube, is also mounted below the floor of the pumping station to extend within the bore-hole or well, drilled into the ground. Mounted on the lower end of the discharge pipe is a multistage pump located in a radially enlarged housing 10 covered at its open lower end by a strainer 12 and having a series of pumping stages comprising partition walls 14, bushings 16 and seal rings 18 mounted at the end of an elongated shaft 20. The shaft 20 extends through the discharge tube 8, the floor 6 and is coupled at its upper end to the drive motor by suitable coupling means 22.

According to the present invention the shaft 20 is supported within the tube 8 at its upper and lower ends respectively, by a plain radial bearing 24 located substantially at the opening in the floor 6 through which the shaft 20 extends and a plain radial bearing 26 substantially at the point where the shaft 20 enters the pump housing 10, i.e. at the point where the pump housing 10 is fastened to the pipe 8. At least the lower bearing 26 is of the type having high damping ability. Both the upper and lower bearing points 24 and 26 represent principle nodal points (nodes) of vibration of the shaft created by mounting the motor and the pumping apparatus at opposite ends of an elongated shaft. Their exact positions are chosen as will be described later. Finally, the shaft 20 is elongated to extend below the pumping stages and is journaled in a third bearing 28 at the lower end of the housing 10.

The nodal points or nodes where the bearings 24 and 26 respectively, are located, are chosen or selected so that the equation or principle (1 a, 0. That is the bearings 24 and 26 are arranged in specific axial locations along shaft 20 so that in the equation:

a equals the absolute value of the angle of roll of the influence line of deflection at one end of the shaft,

and

a; equals the absolute value of the angle of roll of the influence line of deflection on the opposite end of the shaft.

In this manner the shaft 20 is journaled at only two points respectively, between the coupling with the drive motor and the pumping apparatus itself which points are chosen under conditions wherein the angle of roll, or variation from the line of deflection of the shaft negate each other. Vibration of the shaft is thus obviated and smooth running of the pump is obtained without the necessity of employing multiple bearings or journals along the length of the shaft between its upper and lower ends. Harmonic vibration of the discharge tube 8 and the pumping apparatus 10 are also obviated. The bearing may be of known design and conventional, to those skilled in the art.

The provision of a third bearing 28, is ancillary to the provision of bearings at the nodal points of vibration,

although it too has a distinct advantage. Firstly, the third bearing 28 secures the lower end of the shaft below the pumping stages, and thus the shaft 20 does not terminate in the pump apparatus itself. Secondly, the bearing 28 balances the coupling 22 at the upper extreme and thirdly, strengthens the entire pumping apparatus without adding significantly greater weight or stress on the pump stages, motor, etc.

The bearings may be conventional radial roller or ball bearing units. They may, however, be elastic hearing rings, or plugs of unitary annular design or in several portions. More than one bearing member may be used at each nodal point provided that the bearingsmembers are located at the respective points and the equation a a O is maintained. Various other modifications and changes may be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly,it is intended that the present disclosure be illustrative only and not limiting of the scope of the invention.

What is claimed:

1. A vertical pump comprising an elongated cylindrical bearing tube having a central axis, pumping apparatus mounted at one end andmotive means at the other end of said bearing tube, and a drive shaft connecting said motive means and said pumping apparatus, said shaft being mounted to extend along said central axis within said tube by no more than a pair of spaced bearings located respectively at the upper and lower nodal points of fibration of said shaft, said nodal points being spaced from each other so that the angle of roll of the influence line of deflection at one end of said shaft and the angle of roll of the influence line of deflection at the other end of said shaft negate each other.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said shaft extends through said pumping apparatus and terminates in a third bearing.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said pumping apparatus comprises a multistage rotary pump.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said nodal points are located below the coupling of said shaft with said motor and substantially at the point of connection of said pump apparatus with said bearing tube.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said bearing tube serves as the pump discharge means. 

1. A vertical pump comprising an elongated cylindrical bearing tube having a central axis, pumping apparatus mounted at one end and motive means at the other end Of said bearing tube, and a drive shaft connecting said motive means and said pumping apparatus, said shaft being mounted to extend along said central axis within said tube by no more than a pair of spaced bearings located respectively at the upper and lower nodal points of fibration of said shaft, said nodal points being spaced from each other so that the angle of roll of the influence line of deflection at one end of said shaft and the angle of roll of the influence line of deflection at the other end of said shaft negate each other.
 2. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said shaft extends through said pumping apparatus and terminates in a third bearing.
 3. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said pumping apparatus comprises a multistage rotary pump.
 4. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said nodal points are located below the coupling of said shaft with said motor and substantially at the point of connection of said pump apparatus with said bearing tube.
 5. The apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said bearing tube serves as the pump discharge means. 